Prize for schools’ young historians

An exploration of entertainment in Tooting since the 30s was the winner of the second annual Wandsworth Heritage Awards for Schools competition.

Pupils, parents, teachers and head teachers from each of the winning schools were invited to a town hall presentation evening hosted by the mayor of Wandsworth Cllr Richard Field.

All winners received their medals, certificates and plaques. Cash prizes of £1000, £500 and £250 were received by the first, second and third prize winners respectively.

First prize was won by St Boniface RC Primary School for their entry focusing on the listed former Granada Cinema, now the Gala Bingo Hall in Tooting. They investigated how entertainment has changed in the local area since the cinema first opened.

Second prize went to Earlsfield Primary School for their work on A Quid for Sid – a local campaign raising money to erect a plaque the youngest soldier in the first world war Sidney Lewis.

Third prize was won by All Saints School in Putney for a project on Putney Bridge.

Cllr Field said: “An understanding of local history is vital if we are to give our young people a sense of place and belonging in our diverse society, and of who made Wandsworth what it is today.”

The competition was sponsored by Greenwich Leisure Limited, the council’s library and heritage service contractor, and the judging panel included the Mayor, Peter Bundey, Deputy Managing Director of Greenwich Leisure Limited, Pamela Greenwood from the Wandsworth Historical Society and education consultant Caroline Staples.